RTÉ 1980s

Category : The Media

RTÉ 1980s

The big home produced television drama of the decade was 'Strumpet City' while on radio an unedited and uninterrupted reading of James Joyce's 'Ulysses' was broadcast over 30 hours in 1982.

In television there were a number of developments in production. HDTV is demonstrated for the first time in Europe at an EBU conference held in Killarney in 1982. Also during this decade video would replace film, RTÉ changed how it delivered weather forecasts and the Aertel service was launched.

An unstable political situation meant that RTÉ had to cover three general elections in less than two years. 'Morning Ireland' on radio and 'Today Tonight' led the coverage of current affairs.

One rural drama series 'Glenroe' began in 1983 while another 'The Riordans' came to an end on radio in 1985.

Reading of 'Ulysses' 16 June 1982

An unedited and uninterrupted reading of James Joyce's 'Ulysses' began on RTÉ Radio on 16 June 1982 and ended the following day. One year later, Micheál Ó hAodha recalls reaction to the broadcast.

Production Year

1983

Contributor

John Bowman (Presenter)

RTÉ 1980S

First European Demonstration of HDTV

The first demonstration of high definition television (HDTV) in Europe is held at the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union in Killarney, Ireland.

Production Year

1982

RTÉ 1980S

Glenroe First Episode

An extract from the first episode of the rural drama 'Glenroe'. Dinny and Miley Byrne (Joe Lynch) and (Mick Lally) have sold their mountainy family farm and may now move to better land in north Wicklow.

Politics and Television the Challenges

A look at the development of the sometimes complex realtionship between television and politics.

Production Year

1983

Contributor

Peter Feeney (Producer, Writer, Presenter)

RTÉ 1980S

Morning Ireland Begins 5 November 1984

The news programme 'Morning Ireland' began on 5 November 1984. Listen here to an extract from a programme from February 1985 when David Hanly interviewed Des O'Malley following his expulsion from Fianna Fáil.

Production Year

1984

Contributor

David Hanly (Presenter)

RTÉ 1980S

Video Replaces Film

RTÉ News moves from using film cameras to cover stories for television to using video. Electronic news gathering (ENG) means video is replacing film.

Production Year

1985

Contributor

Tommie Gorman (Reporter)
Jim Fahy (Reporter)

RTÉ 1980S

Zig and Zag

Zig and Zag arrived from planet Zog in 1987 and began to appear on the children's afternoon programme 'Dempsey's Den'.

Production Year

1989

Contributor

Ian Dempsey (Presenter)

RTÉ 1980S

RTÉ Launches Teletext

RTÉ launches a teletext service Aertel.

Production Year

1987

Contributor

Gerry Reynolds (Reporter)

RTÉ 1980S

First Episode of Fair City

The title sequence and opening scenes from the very first epsiode of 'Fair City' RTÉ's weekly drama series.